Vaporizer



June 29 1926.

H. S. LAMB VAPORI ZER Filed August 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 N V ENTOR. HAROLD 3. LAMB H. S. LAMB June 29 1926.

VAPORIZER Filed August 16,

1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR. HAROLD 6. L M

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES HAROLD .8. LAMB, LOB ANGELEB, CALIFORNIA.

varomzna.

Application filed August 16, 1924. Serial No. 782.419.

This invention relates to vaporizing devices which are particularlyadapted to act upon hydrocarbon compounds to rovide a homogeneousthoroughly vaporize mixture for internal combustion engines.

. With the carbureting equipment now in use on gasoline engines only aportion of the asoline or other hydrocarbon is va rized y the carburetorand the unvaporized 1 liquid in the form of droplets is carried alongwith the vaporized portion to the engine. It is obvious that themolecular structure of these liquid particles of fuel is more complexthan that portion which 1 vaporizes with the atomizing effect of thecarburetor, since the same force is applied to the liquid as a whole,vaporizing some and leavin the balance in a liquid state. I

have foun in experimenting that these unvaporized portions of the hdrooarbon cause the familiar knocking. his, my experiments show, isbrought about by the detonation of the liquid particles by pressure andexcess heat.

It is the object of my invention to overcome the objections noted byremoving the particles of liquid from the vaporized ydrocarbon and thenconverting these liquid particles into a gaseous form and then mixingthe gaseous vapor with the previously vaporized products to provide arelatively cool combustible mixture of fuel wherein the molecules are ofuniform size and wei ht.

One 0 .the specific objects of my invention is to provide a carburetingdevice adapted for use with the ordinary carburetor and which is soconstructed that the fluid particles remaining unvaporized after leavingthe carburetor will be separated from the vaporized particles and afterseparation will be chan ed into vaporized particles and mixed with thepreviously forme va rs. A further object of the invention is to providea vaporizer including a tube or manifold having means therein forimparting a whirling action to the li uid heavy particles passingtherethrou h w ereby the particles or dro lets will "thrown offcentrifugally an will be conducted to a heating device where they willbe cracked and changed into vapor which may be conducted and mixed withthe original vapor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vaporizing device, whichmay be used with any well known type of carburetor, employing a risertube which has spiral vanes for producin a whirling action and whereinthe tube is provided with an. elongated slot therein for directing thewhirling droplets to a heating device.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings whereinFig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of. an automobile engine showing myinvention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal, sectionalview of a vaporizer embodying the features of my invention with the artsshown in elevation; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the vaporizer; Fig. 4 is atop plan view of the vaporizer and associate parts; Fig. 5 is a central,vertical, sectional view taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig.2; Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6, Fig. 2; Fi 7 is a longitudinalsection similar to ig. 2 showing the action of the vaporizer; Fig. 8 isa transverse section showing the whirling effect produced; Fig. 9 is agraphic showing of a droplet of hydrocarbon and Fig'lO is a graphicshowing of a molecu e of hydrocarbon.

As centrifugal forces bear a certain proortion to the weight acted uponit will he clearly seen that the action will be with increasing violenceas the size and weight increase.

Liquid hydrocarbons such asgasoline and kerosene being of aheterogeneous composi-. tion having many boiling points, mustbe I firstacted upon by a spraying action which vaporizes the lighter and morevolatile por-v tions so that they are ready for combustion without beingheated and should be sent 5 directly to the cylinders. The heavierportions of the fuel require much heat to bri them to their respectiveboilin points an this heat must be applied to t em without impairing theefficiency of the hydrocarbons that require less heat.

Referrin to the drawings by reference characters, have shown an.automobile engine at 10. This engine is shown as provided with acarburetor 11, with an intake manifold 12, and with an exhaust manifold14.

The carburetor 11 may be of any well known type. The vaporizer shown inthe drawings at 15 is merely one embodiment 110 the carburetor merelypulverizes the fuel into small droplets which detonate when exploded inan atmosphere of great pressure and heat as in the cylinders of anengine. In the operation of the modern gasoline engine, to secure thebest results, the vaporized mixture fed to the engine should behomogeneous so .that when the mixture is fired there will be arelatively gradual spreading of the burning action. When the dropletsmentioned are present they interfere seriousl with this desired evenburning action, since they detonate and produce the well knownundesirable knocking effect. v

I have been able to overcome the objections noted by providing astructure which acts upon the mixture of-vapor and droplets produced bythe carburetor to give it a whirling effect. When the engine is-firststarted this whirling efi'ect causes the unvaporizedproducts to flycentrifugally into contact with the inner surface of the riser tube. Thewhirling action in the tube causes the unvaporized products afterstriking the inner surface of the tube to whirl about the inside of thetube until they enter the slot in this riser tube whence they pass toand against a heating element so that they are heated or in other wordscracked and are simultaneously reduced to a vaporized condition. Withthe present embodiment of my invention, this vapor is then forced backto the intake manifold by the expansion brought about by the newdroplets being vaporized. This fresh vapor u on entering the intakemanifold mixes wit the vapor previousl formed. With the use of myinvention t e carburetor is preferably set so that it will provide aleaner mixture than is ordinarily used since with my improvement thefuel is more completely consumed by combustion.

As stated, the vaporizer 15 ma be constructed with the three portions 118 and 19 and with the portion 18 inclined toward the axis 19 as shown.Other arrangements could, however, be made without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Referrin to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the elbow 1- merges into thebulbous portion 18. This bulbous portion 18 is indicated as providedwith spirally arranged'ribs 20,

therein. Two ribs are shown and each has.

the samepitch and each is arranged on one half of the inner surface ofthe bulbous portion. These ribs or vanes increase in depth from each endtoward their intermediate portion so that the assageway between the ribsis of the same diameter as the diameter of the riser tube 19. It isessential that the mixture be whirled about although means other thanthat described may beused to bring this about.

The riser tube 19 is indicated as provided with a slot 22 which leads tothe rear por tion of the tube. This slot 22 terminates at and it couldbe incorporated in the distributin branch of the intake manifold.

he upper end of'the riser tube 19 is en larged as at 24 and thisenlarged portion is provided with an interiorrabbet 25. A collar 26collar 26 has a taperin lower skirt 27 which forms a passage way tweenthe collar26 fits within the rabbet 25. This and the rabbeted portion25. The riser 19 is shown as connected with the intake manifold adjacentto the collar 26 although any other arrangement could be provided ifdesired.

, It may be here stated that my invention is adapted to be used with anytype of intake and exhaust manifold so long as the intake manifold isprovided with the necessary connection and the exhaust manifold isprovided with the necessary heating connections to conduct heat to thevaporizing element of the intake manifold.

The exhaust manifold 14 is shown in. the drawings as provided with afiat portion 30 adjacent the back portion of the riser 19. The riser19'is likewise provided with a flat portion 31 and with a continuousperipheral upstanding flange 32 thereon. The flange 32 is adapted toseat against the flat portion 30 and is separated by a thin metal plateto form an elongated thin receptacle. A sheet of suitable material, suchas copper, is shown at 35 as arranged between the rib 32 and coveringthe adjacent portion 30 of. the exhaust manifold. The plate 35' servesas a heat conductor as well as a gasket. To insure a fluid tight jointbetween the plate 35 and the flange 32 a suitable member such as a thinasbestos gasket may be used. A suitable fastening member- Arranged uponthe surface 31 and adja: cent to the opposed sides of the slot 22 I shownarrow spaced downwardly directed ribs 40. These ribs 40 terminate somedistance short of the inner edge of the flange 32 and are preferably ofthe same thickness of thisv rib, whereby, in conjunction with the plate35 they form passageways.

In other words, droplets 50 as shown in The operation of my device is asfollows: The fuel enters the carburetor 11 where part of it isvaporized. This vaporized fuel with many droplets 50 (shown graphicallyin Fig; 9) passes to the bulbous portion 18 where the vanes 20 give it awhirling action. This whirling action is not sufficient to act upon thevaporized particles shown graphically in Fig. '10 but causes thedroplets to be thrown against the inner surface of the riser 19. Thedroplets thus whirling on the inner surface of the riser 19 form whatmight be termed tiny rivulets of fuel. These .rivulets are shown 1n Fig.7 at 51. As the liquid rotating within the riser moves over the innersurface thereof it enters the slot 22. Any excess amount of fluid in theriser tube will be trap ed in the space 25 and the surplus fluid Wlllfind its wa through hole 23 which is an enlargement o the slot 22. Thepath of the whirling fuel tends to straighten out as the velocityincreases but the centrifugal action increases and the liquid fuel isthrown out with greater violence. This improves the volumetricefficiency. at higher speeds.

After 'the'fluid passes through the slot 22 it moves down thepassageways 54 which are rovided by means of the inclined ribs 40. eaces 54 and in fact the entire receptacle a 'acent the Plate 35 areextremely narrow. The liquid uel adjacent the plate 35 is now heated andis changed to va r.

1g. 9 are reduced to the molecules as shown in Fi 10 at 55.

en the droplets are thus vaporized, their volume is increased and thepressure is increased so that this freshly formed vapor is pressed backinto the intake maniold where it moves with the vapor already producedand provides a homogeneous mixture for the enginecylinders.

The above operation takes place when the en ine is'started from a coldcondition.

heats the riser tube 19so that some ofthe- A rthee' e has been runningsome time the heat m the exhaust manifold 14 droplets are vaporized whenwhirled and thrown against the inner surface of the tube. An dropletsnot thoroughly vapor-- ized will (1 their way through the slot 22 andwill be vaporized in the heating receptacle.

lHaving thus my invention, I e arm: 1 1. A vaporizer comprising aconduit for a vaporous fuel mixture, means arranged along the innersurface of the conduit for trapping fuel particles in the vapor, atdevice in communication with the conduit for vaporizing the fuelparticles comprising a chamber associated with the condu1t,'a p atecovering the chamber against which the fuel particles are vaporized,means for heating the plate and means for permitting the vapor soformed, to mingle with the vaporous fuel mixture previously formed.

2. In a vaporizer including an elongated tube having a. bulbous portiontherein, spiral vanes arranged on the inner wall of said bulbous portionto provide an unobstructed passa e, said tube having an opening in thewall 1; ereof separate from and beyond said vanes, a collar within saidtube, said collar being spaced from the tube to form an annular fueltrapping. cavity, an element adapted to be heated adjacent to said tube,

means for heating said element said opening enabling particles separatedfrom the vapor to be distributed over said heated element.

3. A vaporizer including a tube having a bulbous portion .therein,spiral vanes arranged in said bulbous portion, said tube having anaperture in one ortion of the wall thereof, said aperture ing separateticles passing therethrough, said tube a ing an a erture in the wallthereof, said aperture eing separate from and beyond said means, sa1dtube having a flanged portion thereon, a plate adapted to fit saidflanged portion to forma receptacle, means to heat said plate, saidaperture being arranged in the portion of the wall of the tube which isadjacent to said plate thus enabling particles separated from the vaporto pass throu h the aperture and to impinge upon said ate. 7 p

5. a vaporizer including a tube having a bulbous portion therein, spiralvanes arranged in said bulbous'portion, the inner diameter of saidspiral vanes beingof the same diameter as the internal diameter of thetube, a rabbeted I end of said tube, a collar adapted to fit within saidtubeadilaocent said ra bet, said collar being spaced to said tube toprovide a portion adjacent one H passage of the fluid articles separatedfrom the vapor to said e ement.

6. In a vaporizer, including a tube having a bulbous portion therein,spiral vanes arranged in said bulbous portion, the inner diameter ofsaid spiral vanes being of the same diameter as the internal diameter ofthe tube whereby an unobstructed passage is formed, a slot in said tubehaving an enlarged upper end a continuous flange on said tube extendingthereabout, a plate adapted to fit said flange to form a receptaole,means for heating the plate, said slot enabling fluidparticles-separated from the. 'vapor to be distributed over said late,the

upper end of said tube being en arged to form a cavity .for trapping theexcess of droplets so that they may pass through the enlarged end ofsaid slot.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

HAROLD S. LAMB.

